Shock absorber



Feb. 17. 1925. 1,527,115

F. W. BULL ET AL SHOCK ABSORBER Filed April 9. 192% 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UV/zC/VTOR FR/{NKWBULL l/V/LL/A/V/ o. QUEER/v7- Patented Feb. 17, 19.25.

FRANK WESLEY BULL AND WILLIAM OLIVER DURRANT, OF OSHAWA. ONTARIO, CANADA.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

Application filed April 9, 1923.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK Washer BULL and WILLIAM OLIVER DURRANT, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, and both residents of the town of Oshawa, in the county of Ontario, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shock Absorbers, of which the following is the specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in shock absorbers and the object of the invention is to devise means whereby the action movement is a free movement and the reaction movement of the mechanism after 1111 pact is a controlled and cushioned movement so as to be gradual whereby the force of the rebound is completely absorbed or neutralized during such movement and at the same time devise such a mechanism as will be quick in action so that a series of successive action and reaction movements may be rapidly performed so that each individual reaction will be completely absorbed and it consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as hereinafter more particularly explained by the following specification.

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a portion of an automobile showing the rear axle, rear wheel, spring and chassis frame and our de vice applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through our device showing the parts in the position they assume after impact.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line H, Fig. i.

Fig. 5 is a similar view to F 4L taken on line 55. Fig. 3 with the parts in the position they assume normally.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of our device showing the casing and outer parts in section, the parts being in the position they assume in Fig. 3.

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective details of the outer and inner threaded members separated apart. 2

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the members shown in Fig. 8 looking towards the opposite end.

Fig. 10 is a perspective detail showing the Serial No. 630,996.

means for connecting the cable to the axle of the automobile.

Fig. 11 is a detail view showing the means for connecting the cable to the casing of our shock absorber.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

1 indicates the rear axle, 2 the rear wheel and 3 the usual spring by which the chassis frame 41 is supported upon the axle 1. The chassis frame 4: is channel-shaped according to common practice. 5 is a bracket secured by bolts 6 within the chassis frame so as to depend therefrom in a downwardly curved direction as indicated at 7. The lower end of the bracket 5 is provided with a circular recess 8 in its inner face centrally from which extends an orifice 9 through the bracket to the outer face thereof. 10 and 11 are diametrically opposite recesses formed in the base of the recess 8 and at diametrically opposite sides of the orifice 9. 12 is a stationary sleeve provided with a closed end 13 in which is formed a central orifice 1th at diametrically opposite sides of which are located projections 15 and 16. The end of the sleeve 12 having the closure 13 fits with in the recess 8 and the projections 15 and 16 fit within the recesses 10 and 11 so as to hold the sleeve 12 in a stationary position preventing its rotation.

When in this position the orifice 14 of the sleeve 12 is in alignment with the orifice 9 of the bracket 5. 17 is a bolt which extends through the orifice 9 of the bracket 5 and the orifice 14 of the sleeve 12. The bolt 17 is provided with a surrounding collar or enlargement 18 fitting against the inner face of the end closure 13 of the sleeve 12. The outer end of the bolt 17 is threaded and projects to the outside of the bracket 5 and is provided with a securing nut 19 by which the bolt 17 is securely held in position. The bolt 17 extends centrally througl'i the sleeve 12 projecting through the open end thereof to form a support for the moving parts of our mechanism.

20 is a casing, the body 21 of which is in the form of a sleeve which fits freely around the sleeve 12 at oneend as clearly indicated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. From the sleeve portion of the casing 20 extends a hollow quadrant-shaped portion from the periphery of which ext-ends a further extension 23 forming an arc-sha 'ied rib in the periphery of which is formed a groove 2 1-. In the face of the extension 23 is formed a groove 25 from one end of which extends an orilice 26.

27 is a cable which passes at one end through the orifice 26 into the groove 25. Lead or other su'table metal is poured in a molten state into the groove 25 so as to sur round the inner end oi the cable 27 and securely hold it from withdrawal through the orifice 20. 28 is a lug extending from the closure of the brake drum 20 of the wheel 2 (see Fig. 1). 30 is a bolt eKfQl'lCllDg through such lug. 31 is a clip which is bent so as to form a sleeve-like portion 32 through which the opposite end oi the cable 27 extends.

From each side of the split of the sleeve- 32 depend w ngs and 3-1 (see Fig. 1.0) in which are formed aligned orifices through which the bolt-30 extends. 36 is a tightening nut which is screwed onto the bolt 30 so as to draw the wings 33 and 34 together and thereby contract the sleeve 32 to form a frictional grip on the cable 27 and thereby securely hold. it in place. The sleeve 12 is provided w th internal ribs 12 and 12. the corresponding edges 13" and 13 of which extend in a spiral direction. that is to say, in the form of a thread. 37 is an inner sleeve provided with ribs 38 and 39, the opposite edges of which are also formed spiral as ind cated at 33 and 39, the spiral of the ribs 38 and 39 conforming to the spirals 13 and 13 with which they engage.

410 and 410* are arms extending outward from the sleeve 37. The casing 20 hereinbe'tore referred to is divided into two portions 20 and 20. he portion 20 is in the form of a short sleeve "from which extends a quadrant-shaped flange 4-1 forming a closure for one end of the quadrantshaped ex tension 22. The members 20 and 20 are secured together by bolts 12 and 13. The bolts 12 and 43 also serve as bearing supports for the arms 40 and 40* so as to reduce the frictional contact of the arm 10 as it moves laterally as will hereinafter be explained.

1 1 is a compression spring surrounding the bolt 17 between the outer end of the sleeve 37 and the outer end oi the casing member 20. 4-5 is a washer which forms a closure for the outer end of the casing memleer 20, the bolt 17 extending through the centre of the washer and being provided with a securing nut 4-6 bearing against the washer 4:5. The parts are normally in the position shown in Fig. 1. that is to say, with the quadrant extension 12 drawn downward so as to compress the spring 441 as indicated in Figures 5 and 6, the sleeve 37 being carried longitudinally outward upon the bolt 17 against the pressure of the spring 14 by the coact on of the internal thread or spiral ribs of the sleeve 12 and the corresponding ribs 38 and 39 of the sleeve 37.

hen the car strikes an obstruction or rut in the road causing a jolt the axle 1 and the chassis frame 1 are carried into close juxtaposition compressing the spring 3.

Simultaneously the pull on the cable 27 is relieved permitting the extension 22 to swing upward, the casing being carried into this position by the spring 44. which, in expanding, forces the sleeve 37 longitudinally inward into the sleeve 12, the engaging sp:-

ral ribs t-hereo't causing the sleeve 37 to rotate and swing the arm 10 upward and the arm 10* downward thereby carrying the casing to the position shown in Fig. 3.

When the rebound occurs the axle 1 and chassis frame draw apart exerting a pull upon the cable 27 so as to again swing the extension 22 downward towards the position shown in Fig. 1, and thereby carry the arms 10 and 40* circumferentially whichf by such movement, rotates the sleeve 37 in the opposite direction to that above de scribed so that the spiral engaging ribs of the sleeves and 12 carry the sleeve 37 longitudinally outward upon the bolts 17. the spring -11 opposing this movement.

it will be noted that when the sleeve 37 is turned within the sleeve 12 that a very slight pressure upon the arm 40 serves to hold the arm in the adjusted position and therefore the action of the rebound will continue to be absorbed by the spring 4e1- until it is entirely neutralized, the opposing pressure of the spring 44: of course gradually increasing as it is compressed.

From th s description it will be seen that we have devised a very simple form of shock absorber composed, first, of a stationary unit comprising the bracket 5, internally threaded sleeve 12 which may be detachably connected to the bracket or form an integral part thereof and the bolt 17 forming a supporting stud and second, of: a movable unit comprising the casing 20 swung upon the bolt 17 and sleeve 12, an exteriorly threaded sleeve engaged by the casing to coact with the thread of the sleeve 12 and the spring 41 1- opposing the reaction movement of the sleeve 37. Also it will be seen that we have devised a shock absorber having a free movement during the shock action and a controlled or cushioned movement during the reaction after each shock action and thereby entirely absorbing the rebound and eliminatingthe usual jar and tendency for the vehicle springs to be broken.

It will of course be understood shock absorber is mounted upon each side of the frame and a flexible connection 27 extends outward and downward to the point of attachment at the end of the axle of the automobile.

It will thus be seen that the connections 27 at each side of the car diverge producing a lateral draw which neutralizes the swaying movement of the frame when subject to shock and is therefore particularly adapted to a construction similar to Ford cars in which the carrying spring of the frame is mounted upon the axle and extends longitudinally thereof.

hat we claim as our invention is:

1. In a shock absorber, the combination with the vehicle frame, axle and carrying springs interposed therebetween, of an internally threaded member carried by the frame, a casing turnably mounted upon the internally threaded member and held from horizontal movement, a flexible connection between the casing and the axle whereby the casing is rotated by the vertical movement of the vehicle frame in relation to the axle, an externally threaded member engaging the internal thread of the internally threaded member to move longitudinally thereinto, an engaging connection between the casing and the externally threaded member adapted to permit the free inward horizontal movement of such member independent of the casing, and a normally compressed spring extending between the outer end of the externally threaded member and the opposing end of the casing.

2. In a shock absorber, the combination with the vehicle frame, axle and carrying springs interposed therebetween, of an internally threaded member carried by the frame, a casing turnably mounted upon the internally threaded member, a flexible connection between the casing and the axle whereby the casing is rotated by the vertical movement of the vehicle frame in relation to the axle, an externally threaded member engaging the internal thread of the sleeve to move longitudinally thereinto, a peripheral projection extending from the externally threaded member, and a bearing piece carried by the casing parallel to the axis of the externally threaded member to form bearing contact with the projection when the casing is turned, and a normally compressed spring extending between the outer end of the externally threaded mem her and the casing.

3. In a shock absorber, the combination with a vehicle frame, axle and carrier spring interposed therebetween, of a stationary intern-ally threaded sleeve member carried by the frame, a stud bolt extending longitudinally therethrough, an externally threaded internal sleeve member coacting with the stationary sleeve and slidable upon the stud bolt, a casing comprising a sleeve portion turnably mounted upon the stationary sleeve member and a quadrant portion forming an extension thereto, a compression spring surrounding the stud bolt between the outer end of the internal member and the opposing end of the casing, an arm extending from the inner sleeve member hearing against an abutment formed in the easing, and a cable connection secured at one end to the quadrant portion of the casing to engage the peripl'iery thereof and at the opposite end to the axle.

FRANK IVESLEY BULL. IVILLIAM OLIVER DURRANT. 

